Economic and statistical research
The Office of Economic and Statistical Research (OESR) is responsible for delivering the economic and statistical research output. This output reports on economic and statistical research activities including whole-of-Government collection, collation, interpretation, analysis and dissemination of high-quality economic and statistical information, as well as modelling, research activities and specific information, and data management services for major initiatives and whole-of-Government priorities.
Vision
Knowledge leaders for smarter decision making.
Mission
To support Government and community outcomes through our outputs of data, coordination, intelligence and research.
Structure
- Under Treasurer, Gerard Bradley
- Deputy Under Treasurer, Tim Spencer
- Government Statistician, Dr Peter Crossman
- Deputy Government Statistician, Antony Skinner
- Assistant Government Statistician (Statistical Policy), Tim Barker
- Assistant Government Statistician (Survey), Dr Jill Charker
- Assistant Government Statistician (Products and Services), Greg Pole
- Assistant Government Statistician (Business Services), Sarah Sawyer
- Government Statistician, Dr Peter Crossman
- Deputy Under Treasurer, Tim Spencer
Key issues facing the output
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Continuing demand for independent, timely, high quality, reputable State and regional research, modelling, analysis and statistics to support key Queensland Government initiatives.
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The need to support the development of Treasury positions on national and State economic reform issues.
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Increasing demand for household surveys to reduce information gaps on community outcomes under the Queensland Government's priorities.
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Effective promotion of cross-sector collaboration to improve the collection and delivery of strategic information.
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Requirements for increased coordination of Queensland statistical activities to complement the development of the proposed National Statistical Service and National Data Network across Australia.
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The need to apply protocols to ensure Government, industry and the community have easy, equitable, efficient, affordable and coordinated access to critical data and associated products and services.
Output performance highlights
| Measure | Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | ||
| Survey, data processing or data construction projects | 70 | 63 1 |
| Data dissemination outputs including official publications, client reports or databases | 150 | 144 2 |
| Formal written briefings or reports provided to key clients on economic, statistical and spatial issues | 100 | 142 |
| Number of internet hits on OESR website | 0.9M | 0.9M |
| Number of hits on the Data Hub homepage | 25,000 | 24,894 |
| Collaborative projects undertaken with or sponsored by other teams in Government or external researchers | 25 | 32 |
| Development and coordination of whole-of-Government policy issues or relations with organisations in other jurisdictions (number of projects) | 45 | 79 |
| Factual answers to requests for information | 3,000 | 3,495 |
| Quality | ||
| Successful external quality audits | 100% | 100% |
| Stakeholder and client satisfaction with outputs (rated satisfied or very satisfied) | 90% | 100% |
| Timeliness | ||
| Delivery of outputs within timeframes agreed with clients (excludes internet services) | 90% | 95.1% |
| Cost | ||
| Revenue from fee-for-service outputs | $3.9M | $4.9M |
1. Surveys conducted in 2006-07 included a number of larger projects compared with earlier years.
2. The reduced number of surveys conducted resulted in fewer data dissemination outputs.
Strategic business priorities
Strategic business priority
Maintain and enhance rigorous economic and social research agendas relating to the economic and social advancement of the State, involving partnerships with government, industry and universities.
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Research to guide decision making
We began a new strand of research into productivity in the Queensland economy during 2006-07. This supersedes Treasury's earlier research into regional productivity performance and will update and extend the measurement of productivity and focus on the efficiency of policy instruments. Throughout the following year we will evaluate outcomes from our research and produce a report analysing Queensland productivity performance, including the fundamental importance of productivity, recent influences and policy instruments that can influence productivity.
We continued our involvement in a research collaboration between a syndicate of 10 Queensland Government agencies and the University of Queensland to develop a spatial decision support system for South East Queensland (SEQ). By managing and coordinating this research project we are helping to build an Integrated Large Scale Urban Model for South East Queensland (LSUM), capable of simulating detailed demographic and economic development scenarios for SEQ. LSUM will provide an improved evidence base for Queensland's policy and decision makers to assess future growth patterns of population, housing, and economic activity in SEQ.
Strategic business priority
Maintain and enhance a suite of economic and social models, methodologies and standards, promoting their availability, transparency and use across Government and the general community, in support of the Queensland Government's strategic policies.
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Economic modelling to assess impact of reforms
In 2006-07, we undertook a detailed review of the economic modelling prepared by the Productivity Commission on the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) National Reform Agenda. This review was undertaken to find out the impact on the Queensland economy of the proposed COAG reforms in infrastructure, regulation and human capital.
In the year ahead, we will work with other agencies to establish an in-house economic modelling capability in Treasury to assist in the development of emissions trading policy.
Strategic business priority
Increase the provision of high quality statistical information products and services which contribute to the transparency, accountability and operational efficiency of Government.
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Statistical systems targeted to clients' needs for informed decision making
Working with Disability Services Queensland, the Department of State Development, Legal Aid Queensland and the Department of Child Safety, we developed and implemented agency-based small-area statistical information systems during 2006-07. Based on infrastructure developed for the Department of Communities' statistical information system in 2005-06, client agencies will use these systems to support evidence-based decision making, planning and resource allocation. In the year ahead, we will enhance existing agency statistical information systems with new data and features, and develop a range of new systems for other Queensland Government agencies.
Strategic business priority
Improve statistical coordination and policy across Government through leadership of significant statistical initiatives, contributing to whole-of-Government and national improvements in statistical quality.
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Taking the Census to communities
We played a leading role in the State-wide awareness campaign for the national Census of Population and Housing in 2006-07. Our aim was to maximise Queensland's population count, with particular focus on Indigenous and remote communities, as well as high-rise and gated complexes. In all, we made over 90 visits, including visits to all Indigenous communities in Queensland and to a number of regional and remote areas. This face-to-face component was complemented by a targeted media and advertising campaign.
In the coming year, we will use data from the 2006 Census to develop and implement a range of statistical products and services to help Queensland Government agencies plan for service delivery.
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Standardised addressing means safety and services
Not all addresses accurately describe where a home or other location actually is. This can present difficulties for emergency and other services, particularly in rural areas. In 2006-07, we undertook a number of projects designed to standardise addressing across the State:
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Completed the Review of Addressing Practices in Queensland including a specification and implementation plan for the Queensland Address Management Framework (QAMF). QAMF presents a new model for allocating, capturing and managing addresses across State and local government authorities. In the year ahead, the Queensland Spatial Information Office will help the Department of Natural Resources and Water and the Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation prepare to implement QAMF.
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Continued implementing rural addressing across local authorities, with 80 per cent of eligible councils having introduced this initiative into their communities. In the year ahead, we anticipate all local governments in Queensland will have implemented rural addressing.
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Better management of information resources
In 2006-07, we completed the Stage 2 Report for the Government Information Licensing Framework project (GILF). In the year ahead, we will progress this by completing a cost-benefit analysis and business case for implementing a whole-of-Government information licensing framework. This will help ensure that information held by public sector agencies is managed and used appropriately.
To enable greater access to Queensland Government statistics, we updated and expanded the content of the Register of Strategic Information and implemented a node of the National Data Network. In 2007-08 we will participate in a project to harmonise domain-specific metadata registers across Government.
Strategic business priority
Enhance statistical survey capabilities, including implementing large-scale surveys and improvements in statistical services and methodologies for the collection of data and evaluation of programs.
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Surveys help clients plan for service delivery
Throughout 2006-07, we experienced increased demand from Queensland Government agencies for statistical surveys to inform their planning and service delivery decisions.
We completed sample surveys to meet a range of needs for the Departments of Communities, Child Safety, Education, Training and the Arts, Employment and Industrial Relations, and Health, and the Queensland Police Service.
In the year ahead, we will develop a further range of analytical services to complement our statistical survey capacity.
Data means better services for Queenslanders
With the Queensland population growing at a rapid rate and increasing demands being placed on the State's infrastructure and resources, OESR recognises the importance of its role in positioning the Government to create a better future for all Queenslanders.
OESR finds ways to better understand and capture available statistics and uses them to deliver better services for Queenslanders.
Working collaboratively with other Government agencies, OESR developed and implemented a series of agency-specific small-area statistical information systems for four Government departments to support their needs-based planning and resource allocation priorities.
The systems' quantitative data can be used to identify high-risk/high-need areas and discover correlations across indicators. This allows agencies to plan to deliver services where they are needed.
The data can also provide a rigorous foundation for specific reports and can be used to strengthen planning and policy development.
2007-08 will see further refinements to these systems and new statistical tools to help agencies plan the services needed by Queensland communities.
Last reviewed 25 August 2009
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